


Personal Business

by truelyesoteric



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Half College, Half Grown Up, M/M, brief mentions of violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2020-05-07 10:37:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19207645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/truelyesoteric/pseuds/truelyesoteric
Summary: Stiles pursed his lips and flung his hands around. “Why would you do this?”Laura had asked him the same question a million times. Peter had begged for an answer. His staff seemed confused.Derek had given answers. All of them were real, but none of them were the actual reason.At best he was going to be badgered by reporters and harassed by every side. At worst he was going to have to pick another career path. He was going to blow up the peace of his life.The answer why?It was sitting right in front of him.





	Personal Business

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know why I'm so inspired to write. This is for those of you still reading Teen Wolf. I hope you enjoy.

**NOW**

Derek ran through the darkened streets. It was his stress relief and a way to keep himself in shape after all the dinner meetings and charity dinners. It was one of the rare moments that he was alone. He left his phone at home because he wanted an hour without people. There was no music, no distractions, just him and the pounding of his own feet. It was his sanctuary.

When he reached his house, a little brownstone, Stiles was on his steps. 

It had been nine years, but he wasn’t surprised. He had expected this. 

Or he had wanted this. Sometimes it was hard to know for sure.

Stiles was sitting, with his forearms on his legs, his hands were laced together. He was so still Derek was wondering if this was real for a second. Stiles was kinetic energy. Then Stiles bit his lip in thought and Derek fell into familiarity. Stiles was wearing a suit, like everyone in Washington DC, but his tie was just a thin red strip and his socks were Batman. His hair looked like it was trying to escape conformity. He had left the college days behind, but he hadn’t lost his personality.

Those amber eyes looked for a minute, Stiles seemed to feel the familiarity as much as Derek.

“We’re coming in for a meeting tomorrow,” Stiles finally said with a shrug. “I wanted to give you a heads up.”

“I know,” Derek replied, crossing his arms across his chest and tilting his head. “I asked for you.”

Stiles’ eyebrow raised. “What kind of scandal have you gotten yourself into that you have to call us?”

Derek shrugged and shook his head. “No scandal.”

Stiles just looked at him. Seven years of the FBI had masked every thought readable on his face, something that served him well in his new line of work. Derek could tell that he was connecting the dots. Stiles had an eerie read of everything. Derek had liked that about Stiles, that and his forthrightness. They had fought constantly in college, but Derek hadn’t met anyone since that he would rather have screaming matches with.

“You’re doing it,” Stiles said flatly.

Derek stared steadily back at him. If Stiles had figured it out there was no reason to answer.

“We’re not who you come to in order to be handled with kid gloves,” Stiles said evenly.

“That is why I want you,” Derek said with a smile. “I don’t want some candy-coated apology tour. I want everyone called out on their bullshit. I want you and Lydia. You’re going to ask to have the gloves off and I’m going to agree to this stipulation. This is what I want. The meeting is just a formality so Laura and Lydia can meet.”

Stiles studied him for another moment. Derek momentarily missed the days when Stiles had been a little more transparent.

“And you want me to be part of it?” Stiles asked, layers of their past in his voice.

Their past was verbally combative, oddly codependent, and often naked. It was long over, and they had been surprisingly gentle in the good byes. Derek had married and moved into the Senate. What Stiles had done was still classified. What they had been wasn’t a secret, but it wasn’t something they talked about.

“You’re the best,” Derek said. “You will handle this and not back down. You are the best. I will not have anything but the best.”

Stiles pursed his lips and flung his hands around. “Why would you do this?”

Laura had asked him the same question a million times. Peter had begged for an answer. His staff seemed confused.

Derek had given answers. All of them were real, but none of them were the actual reason.

At best he was going to be badgered by reporters and harassed by every side. At worst he was going to have to pick another career path. He was going to blow up the peace of his life.

The answer why?

It was sitting right in front of him.

**THEN**

While Derek had never blown up his own life before, he knew the trauma of having everything change overnight. He had been twenty-one, just finished the first semester of his junior year at Columbia and everything changed in a blink.

It had started six months before. He had never liked the spotlight, that was more Laura’s thing, but he found himself enamored with Kate Argent the upcoming model.

They were instantly tabloid fodder.

He was the son of the Hale political dynasty, his mother was speaker of the House, the first woman to do so. His family had Ambassadors, Senators, Congressmen, Governors, and even a Vice President going back to the founding of California. They were the Kennedys of the West, beautiful and rich, some of the cousins were full of drama, but Laura, Derek, and Cora had always tried to live up to their name. 

Derek knew that nobody lived like they did, he did try not to be an asshole about it.

Kate Argent had been a little older, but beautiful and Derek stepped out of the shadows and into her glitter. He was enchanted. It had worked for a while, but he got tired of the surface.

She had tried to burn the family’s vacation house in Beacon Hills down on Christmas when he told her that he wanted more out of life than red carpets. Derek probably could have timed the break up a little better, maybe been a little more diplomatic, but in his defense he didn’t know that she was psychotic.

Everyone had been fine, but New York became unlivable in the blink of an eye. He couldn’t go anywhere, everyone was talking about him.

It was only Talia Hale using generations of connections that just a month later Derek found himself ready to finish up his undergrad at Stanford. Nobody cared in California.

He was a little less lucky about finding housing. It was only by chance that two of the Beacon Hills cousins had a room open because one of their housemates hadn’t made it through the first semester. He was going to be living in a house full of freshman. 

But on an up note, he was far far away from Kate’s family and the Page Six paparazzi.

It didn’t change the fact that he was angry as hell, which manifested itself into some major sulking and glowering. He was not the charming version of Derek Hale.

“We tried to help him out,” Erica said, pushing her sunglasses to the top of her head as she walked in the house. “But we always figured Greenburg wasn’t going to make it. We weren’t close with him, but he was from Beacon.” 

She led them up the stairs to the second floor and opened a door to a room that was smaller than anything Derek had ever lived in.

Erica gave him a grin. 

“Suck it up scion boy,” Isaac said as he sauntered up to the room.

Derek had spent a month or two in Beacon Hills during the summer most of his life and usually Christmas. He knew the pair of his extended family well.

Isaac had spent most of the time with the family when they were in town. Isaac’s father had been a Hale and one of the drunk ones. At thirteen Talia had sent Isaac to private school far away from his father and he had come with the family on most of the holidays. He was more Cora’s friend then Derek’s because they were the same age, but he was the closest thing that Derek had to a brother. Isaac had taken his mother’s name of Lahey when he was old enough to emancipate himself from his father.

Erica’s mother had been a Hale, her father had been some mystery man named Reyes, Derek wasn’t sure if Erica had ever met him. Erica’s mother had been a free spirit who had wondered in and out of family life. She didn’t want any money or controls. She had only shown up when the bills got to be too much, or Erica needed medical care for the seizures that had plagued Erica as a child. Derek had spent a few summers reading to Erica while she recovered. 

They were family and for the Hales that meant that they were always there when you needed them.

Derek could almost feel a little bit of warmth in the depths of his scowling angry soul.

He would feel it later.

“Do you remember Stiles, Scott, and Lydia?” Erica asked.

Derek shrugged. He figured that he would know them by sight. Probably part of the crew that Cora had always been hanging around. Three years had seemed light years when he was younger, now it didn’t seem like so much. Kate had been five years older than him. 

“There are also the second-tier roommates,” Eric said. “Just warning you. Scott started dating this girl Kira before finals. She’s pretty cool and will be around.”

“And there is Erica’s boyfriend that moved up here to be with her. They’re pretending that they aren’t living together, but he’s here more than I am,” Isaac added.

“But on an up note,” Erica said with an eyeroll. “Lydia never brings anyone home and when Stiles manages to hook up, he gets rid of them around sunrise.”

Derek couldn’t express how much he didn’t care at this moment. So he said nothing.

Erica looked at him a bit hesitantly. Then she gave him a quick hug.

“I know that the reason you’re here sucks, but I’m glad you’re here, cuz,” Erica said softly.

Isaac had all the hesitation and very little of the surety that Derek should be here on his face, but he clapped Derek’s shoulder.

Derek just wanted them to go away. He wanted everyone to go away.

**

Derek went to class and spent a lot of time in the library. He spent a lot of time in his room. He spent as little time with his roommates as possible. He wasn’t feeling up to people. He really wanted to spend as little time with people as possible.

He was sneaking to the kitchen on Friday night for more coffee. His paper wasn’t due until Tuesday, but he didn’t have anything better to do tonight.

He stopped just short of the door when he heard voices.

“Have you heard him speak?”

“No man, it’s been a month and I’m not entirely sure he exists.”

“Do you think he’s going to pull a Greenberg?”

Derek knew he was being an asshole when he stepped into the room. He got a perverse thrill from walking in on the conversation. His appearance had the effect on one of the occupants. The dark haired one, Scott, suddenly found something interesting on the empty table. The other, Stiles watched him. Derek remembered Stiles from his summers. Stiles was the Sheriff’s kid and used to follow Derek around asking questions. It was at times either hilarious, baffling, and/or annoying. 

“Hey Derek, we have an intramural softball game Sunday. None of us can pitch worth crap. Please come and save us,” Stiles said as if they were friends.

It seemed as if Stiles hadn’t changed much.

Derek looked at Stiles. While the tone had been completely welcoming, his face held a smirk and something that looked like a dare.

The ‘no’ Derek said almost automatically said died on his lips as Stiles cocked his head. 

“How badly do you suck?” Derek asked gruffly.

“He speaks!” Stiles said, apparently not caring about walking around on eggshells like the rest of the house. “We’re really bad.”

Derek had no idea where his next words came from. Probably some latent sentiment of himself of three months ago. 

“I’ll play the game if everybody comes to a practice tomorrow.”

Scott looked up, a little scared of the demanding tone of Derek’s voice. Stiles stared at him thoughtfully.

“Deal,” Stiles said.

“Dude,” Scott said to Stiles.

Stiles turned towards him. “Do you want to have another game where we end it because of the pity rule. Derek was All-Star on his high school team.”

The two of them stared each other down.

“Fine,” Scott conceded and walked out of the room. “I’ll tell everyone. I’m sure they’ll be thrilled.”

Stiles just watched Derek as he brewed the coffee. Derek felt a little panic that Stiles was going to move this to some conversation that he really didn’t want to have.

“Did you guys ever make the lacrosse team?” Derek asked with all the warmth and curiosity of a cement mixer.

Stiles raised an eyebrow but played along. “Yes. I was first bench warmer and Scott was left bench.”

Derek lifted his eyes skyward.

“Don’t judge the team by us. Boyd is pretty good at first base and Kira can catch anything,” Stiles said. “We’re just a little chaotic.”

Derek gave a snort. “I’ve noticed.”

Stiles gave him a huge grin and Derek felt a tug to return the smile. Fortunately the coffee machine dinged, and Derek poured himself a cup and escaped before things could get awkward or he did something like smile.

**

Stiles called for a time out and came to the pitcher’s mound, lifting up the catcher’s mask.

Derek felt a growl in the back of his throat. The game wasn’t going terribly, he had drilled the team yesterday until they complained and then kept them going until sunset. Boyd was amazing and Derek never worried about finding him at first. Kira played infield. She also played most of the outfield, she was a quick one. Fortunately the other team didn’t seem to be able to hit very far. Scott, Isaac, and Erica and a few other of the random people, who he didn’t bother to learn the names of, were passable. 

Lydia surprisingly had looked at him berating the team and she had pursed her lips. Derek was sure that she was going to do a runner. Instead she put on her glove and played third base like she had been born there. When she stepped, or more accurately glided, up to the plate she knocked the ball into outfield over and over. Neither Derek nor Lydia said anything about it. Derek just gave her a less angry look and she gave him a superior smirk.

Stiles he couldn’t figure out though. Stiles couldn’t hit worth a dam, but Stiles caught everything he threw over home plate. Derek didn’t know where to slot him.

“Look,” Stiles said in a low voice. “I know I’m crap, but can you just do one thing for me. Just try it this inning. Pitch what the hell I signal for you to pitch. I may never be going pro, but I’ve played these people. I know people and if you listen to me for just a couple of pitches you will see I know what the hell I’m talking about.”

Derek ground his teeth a little “If we lose, I am blaming you.”

“Knock yourself out,” Stiles retorted. “We made it to the fourth inning. We’ve never done that before. This game is a win.”

Derek gave him a withering look. “How did you get into Stanford with that kind of pathetic attitude?”

Stiles gave him a sarcastic smirk in response. “Because I’m smart as shit and I write a killer essay and they don’t give a fuck about my softball skills.”

“Good thing,” Derek muttered as Stiles went back to home plate, casually flicking Derek off.

Derek sucked up all of his pride and pitched exactly what Stiles signaled. It worked. It kept working for the rest of the inning. It kept working for the rest of the game. Between Stiles’ calls on the pitches and Derek’s ability to execute nobody got on base for the rest of the game. In the eighth inning Lydia hit a ball clear out of the park, bringing her and Boyd home. Pulling them ahead by a run.

When they won the whole team rushed the mound. Derek found himself in the middle of a loudly screaming group. He was ready to be back in his room, but they grabbed him and brought him to a sketchy bar and proceeded to use horrible fake IDs to buy them pitchers.

Stiles was on his right and Erica was on his left and they were in the corner while everyone talked excitedly. Stiles practically recapped the game. Derek leaned back wanting to leave, but Erica’s smile kept him there. She was as snarky as he was with everyone else, but for him she was sweet. Probably had something to do with the fact that he would stay with her when she was sick.

Stiles elbowed him a couple of beers in.

Derek looked at those amber eyes that were shining up at him and all the loud chatter became a little less jarring.

“Do I get MVP for the win, since we won because you listened to me,” Stiles asked, pushing into Derek’s space.

“Pretty sure the difference between last game where you lost in the first inning and this game where you won is me is me,” Derek said, but his voice held very little of the bark that it had over the last month.

Stiles let out a loud laugh.

“Your throwing aside, you only win when someone runs around the circle thing,” Lydia leaned into them. “Who was the one who got people around the circle thing?”

Derek looked at her. “Why do you pretend you’re stupid?”

Stiles leaned back to let them have this conversation.

She gave him a serious look and tapped her fingers against her lips. “Interesting. I’m considering giving you the honest answer to your rude question.”

“I can handle it,” Derek said crossing his arms over his chest.

She gave him an appraising look and seeming to find something. “When I realized I could get all A’s without trying I worked on making the outside look good. When the outside looks good nobody cares about the insides. I like people underestimating me, makes them easier to destroy.”

Derek was a little scared of her. That was the moment that he realized he liked her.

“And that works?” Derek asked.

“Only person who has ever given me a run for my money is this guy,” Lydia said motioning to Stiles. “He seems to not have enough common sense to run away.”

“If by run for your money you mean, kick your ass to valedictorian, sure,” Stiles said taking a sip of his beer.

“By .01,” she retorted as if this was a familiar discussion. Lydia turned to Derek. “He cheats. I mean he knows the stuff, but instead of playing it straight he plays the teacher and gets the extra, he either knows the teachers weak spot and writes his senior thesis on gender discrimination in the workplace for Mrs. Parks who had just lost the job of Principal to Mr. Russo or uses words that our history teacher was too lazy to look up.”

Stiles just shrugged. “Don’t hate the player, hate the game.”

Lydia just rolled her eyes.

Derek took a sip of his drink. 

“So what do you think?” Erica asked from his other side.

Derek turned towards her and raised an eyebrow.

“Which one of them is MVP?” she asked.

“I can’t be MVP?” Derek asked.

“You’re an All Star,” Erica pointed out. “It’s a given that you’re going to be the best on our team, give the award to someone else.”

Derek looked between Stiles and Lydia.

“Lydia,” Derek said.

Lydia preened and Stiles pouted.

“Is this because you’re scared of her?” Stiles asked.

“Yep,” Derek answered.

Stiles toasted him with his half empty glass. “I would have made the same decision.”

**NOW**

Derek sat in the center of the table, Laura on one side of him and Peter on the other. Across from them was Lydia and Stiles. Lydia looked prepared to be skeptical. Stiles sat back in his chair, fairly slumped, but with an air of curiosity buzzing in his tapping fingers. Lydia and Stiles had signed iron clad non-disclosure agreements, and everyone sat waiting.

Laura began speaking. She went on in very professional tones. There was a second when Lydia’s eyes went wide and she looked at Derek, but besides that the occupants of the room stayed still, and very little personal emotions went over their faces.

Derek and Stiles kept their eyes on Laura.

When Laura stopped speaking Lydia nodded.

“So we’re here to get ahead of a potential scandal,” she said. “I’d like to speak without all the fuss. I’m going to ask some questions that may seem contrary to my personal opinion and what you are asking me to do, but I need to ask the questions so I can see if you have the answers.”

“That is why we asked for you,” Laura said approvingly.

Lydia turned towards Derek and he steadied himself under her gaze. Lord help the man who tried to lie to Lydia Martin.

“You have been widowed for three years, Senator Hale,” Lydia said with more softness than Derek expected. “You are at a point where you may start dating again and you want to lay the groundwork so you can feel free to find the right person. You want it known that you are bisexual, and you don’t want it to be a big deal if you date a guy.”

“Correct, Ms. Martin,” Derek said.

Lydia bit her lip and then asked the question. “Senator, you aren’t gay? Your wife wasn’t a beard?”

Derek had been expecting that one. It was the one that a lot of people seemed to want to know.

“I was in as committed and intimate of a relationship with my wife as I was with my college relationship,” Derek said simply. “She was not a beard and in a different setting with a different person I’d be more than willing to go on about how ignorant that is.”

Lydia nodded and her face showed a little shame. “You know I had to ask. You also knew I never suspected anything else. I needed to hear your response.”

Derek nodded. “I’m not one of your other clients. You don’t have to tell me your reasons. I know you too well. I also know that while you’d help anyone bury the bodies for a price, you’d help me knock off a couple of them.”

She gave him a smile. “I don’t know if I would go that far, Derek Hale, it would have to be under the right circumstances.”

“Just get the torture over with,” Derek said.

She looked straight at him. “You really want to classify your college thing as a relationship? You’re bi either way, but that may be putting too fine a point on it.”

“For christssakes Lydia, it was three fucking years,” Derek said with more defense then he meant to. “I wasn’t with Paige for that long.”

Her mouth curled up with a smile, as if this was a confirmation of something.

“Stiles?” Lydia said without looking away from Derek.

Derek looked straight at Lydia, seeing Stiles fidget a little out of the corner of his eyes.

“He knows what a relationship is, Lydia,” Stiles said evenly. 

“We have a stipulation that while we may disclose a relationship existed, Derek wishes to keep the privacy of his past partner’s name and any relationship details,” Laura said to Lydia.

Lydia cocked her head towards Stiles without looking away from Derek and Laura.

“Agreed,” Stiles said tonelessly.

“You have other questions,” Derek said. It was more a command than a statement.

Lydia pursed her lips. Derek was quite sure that she wanted to ask more, but she got back into business mode.

“Have you considered the effect this will have on your mother?” Lydia asked.

Derek’s lips slid into a smirk. “My mother? The congresswoman from San Francisco? She’ll be fine.”

Laura let out a little sigh at her brother. “Congresswoman Hale has been apprised of the situation and, as always, give her full support to her son and also her full support to a fellow Congress member in this situation.”

Lydia gave Laura a smile. “Thank you, Ms. Hale.”

“Have you considered what this will do for your career? Part of the reason you were elected is the memory of your wife, she was well known in many circles and was beloved. Have you considered this backlash?” Lydia asked Derek.

Derek had met Paige at Harvard. Her family had been in key political social circles. She had introduced Derek to a political life outside of his family. She had been the one that had started him in politics and got him to run for the Senate. She had been shot by a mugger and died in Derek’s arms a year before he was elected. There was talk that the grieving widow line was what got him elected.

He knew that this could affect his career. He also knew he had proven his value over the last two years and had four more years to smooth over any issues.

“Yes and I invited you here anyway,” Derek said.

“Did your wife know?” Lydia asked.

Derek took a breath. Paige had known he had been with a man in college and that had been the beginning and the end of it. Derek didn’t know if it was because it was an ex or because it was a man. Paige hadn’t wanted to get into it. It had bothered her a little, but she had known.

“Yes,” Derek told her.

“Is it going to be a problem?” Lydia asked, raising an eyebrow.

“We’d like the memory of Paige Hale to remain what it is,” Laura interjected. “We realize that we have little control over what comes out, but our position is never to slander the departed.”

Lydia looked at Stiles and he made a note.

Those were the first of Lydia’s many many questions. They were there for two hours and Derek had felt less examined when he got his security clearance.

“I just want it to be said that you can stay in the closet if you want,” Lydia said finally. “This doesn’t have to be something you do until you have a reason. We can deal with it when it comes up. I will help you kill people and bury the bodies, no questions asked.”

“I want the narrative,” Derek said tiredly. “I don’t want to be living in fear afraid it will come out. This is my life and I want to not be at the whim of the media. I am bi. If I am not clear about it, if I am not willing to live my life how I am how can anybody else be asked to? I might lose my job and my reputation, but this is who I am. I have a big comfy safety net of my family and money. If I am not willing to be who I am when I will be fine, how can we expect to live in a society where anyone feels comfortable doing it?”

Lydia leaned back and gave him a satisfied smile, she looked at Stiles. He was looking down at his legal pad. There was silence as he seemed to think for a minute.

When he looked up his eyes went straight to Derek.

“Yeah, we’ll take this,” Stiles said.

**THEN**

A coffee cup plunked down next to Derek. He looked up from where he was packing his backpack.

“When are you heading to the library?” Stiles asked, sipping his own coffee.

“Now,” Derek said.

“Give me ten?” Stiles asked and left the room without a response.

Derek stared after him. It had been four months since he had moved into this place and while his anger was still brewing, it felt less. Some of that was due to Erica and Isaac, but a bit part of it was due to Stiles, who for no reason that Derek could figure out, had decided that he and Derek were friends. They hung out a lot. Derek didn’t understand it, but there was some kind of under toe that drew him to Stiles. For all that he didn’t get it, he was a willing and active participant.

Lydia was watching their exchange from the hallway. She had a worried expression on her face.

“Do I give off an overly friendly vibe?” he asked her.

Despite whatever the thoughts going through her head, she let out a laugh.

“Don’t worry about that,” she told him. “He just gets fixated at times.”

Her face took on thoughtfulness.

One of the things that Derek was finding not disturbing was becoming some kind of friend to Lydia. She had the straightforward way as Stiles, but hers seemed to have a little more purposeful method. He liked that she didn’t hide anything unless it was in the most overt way.

“How long was he fixated on you?” Derek asked.

“Most of our lives, but it wasn’t to be with me. Don’t worry about that,” she said in a faraway voice, then she snapped and looked at Derek. “Don’t hurt him.”

“Or you’ll kill me?” Derek said, swinging the backpack over his shoulder, completely believing she would.

She looked at him like she was studying him, Derek could see that she was probably thinking about Kate Argent. “I’d give him the speech too, but I’ve known him forever and I can’t just throw off Team Stiles.”

Derek shrugged. “I’m sure you’re overreacting.”

He left the house with Stiles chatting away besides him, arms flailing. Derek spent quite a bit of time with Stiles and his flailing arms. 

**

A month later Derek got home from Beacon Hills and he was in a very bad mood. He had spent two days in the court room testifying against Kate. The press had hounded him, and he had to relive many things and was accused of being a horrible person. Kate’s lawyer had run him over the rails. He was nothing but a raw nerve.

He no longer tiptoed around the house, he stormed around the house, lashing out at anyone who dared get into his way. Everyone stayed away from him, even Stiles.

It all culminated one afternoon in the house living room.

Kira was sitting with her books and computer all over the couch. Stiles and Isaac were on the far side of the room, heads together as they went over something. Erica and Boyd were looking at photos on a phone as Erica sat on Boyd’s lap.

Kira was quiet and always nice to everyone. She had barely ever said anything to Derek, just offering him tentative smiles.

Derek came into the living room like a tornado, looking around the room for something. He tripped over one of Kira’s books and he absolutely lost it. He exploded like everyone had worried about since he got back.

He held up the book and raged at Kira. “What the hell are you doing here. Scott isn’t here. You don’t live here. This is not your living room. Some of us actually pay to live under this roof.”

Kira stared at him wide eyed and Stiles was up in a second, getting between him and Kira.

Stiles put his hand on Derek’s chest and gave rage right back, defending his best friend’s girl. “I know you’ve been through shit, totally get that, but dude you’re being a really big asshole to everybody. We don’t deserve that. I kind of want to burn down your house right now.”

Everyone in the room froze. 

Stiles pulled his hand back, trying to backpedal. “Dude, I’m so sorry, that came out wrong.”

Derek stilled and stared at him for a long enough time that everyone got really uncomfortable. Most of them felt that Stiles deserved to get hit at this given moment. The entire room didn’t move.

Instead Derek turned to Kira and gave her a try at a smile, she looked on the verge of tears. “I’m sorry. I was being an asshole. You have to let me buy you a pizza for study food.”

She looked at him, not really knowing how to respond.

Derek came and sat down next to her. He was holding himself stiffly, but he leaned towards her.

“You being here is great,” Derek said and lowered his voice to a whisper. “I think I like you more than I like Scott, please be here as much as you want, not that it is my call at all.”

She gave him a shy smile. “A veggie pizza.”

Derek nodded and pulled out his phone and stood up, he shot a look at Stiles, who had a look of shame over his words and approval of Derek’s response on his face.

“Do I owe you a pizza?” Stiles asked as Derek passed.

“Wanna grab tacos?” Derek asked.

Stiles gave him a skeptical look. “Are you going to make waitresses cry?”

Derek shrugged. “Probably not, but if I do, I’ll let you yell at me.”

“I am really sorry,” Stiles said. “I open my mouth and sometimes shit comes out.”

Derek raised an eyebrow. “I have no idea what that is like.”

Stiles made a motion to Isaac and Isaac went back to the books, then Stiles went to his room to grab his jacket. They walked to tacos in silence until Stiles went on a rant about eight am classes. Derek pretty much rolled his eyes at everything, but Stiles caught a little smile here or there. They bickered most of the meal. Derek didn’t make any waitresses cry.

**

“Derek,” Kira squealed, running into the entry way. She was slightly drunk, but charmingly so.

Derek had just come home from the library on a Tuesday night, apparently his freshmen roommates were getting drunk.

She turned to everyone assembled in the room. “Derek knows movies. Derek would know.”

“Derek knows movies?” Scott asked skeptically, looking to Stiles.

“Derek knows movies,” Stiles confirmed.

Kira pulled him in the room. Derek looked at all their faces.

“We’re having an epic debate,” Stiles told him with a grin.

“We’re trying to figure out who would be the first to die in a horror movie,” Kira said, very pleased with that information. “We can’t agree. You decide.”

Derek sat down on the window seat next to Stiles.

“Your parents must be proud of where their money is going,” Derek said dryly.

“Scholarship,” Stiles said with pride.

“My mother spends more on shoes than my tuition,” Lydia remarked. 

“I’m a Hale,” Isaac said. “Might as well be good for something.”

“I’m a mechanic,” Boyd said. 

“Epic source of shame,” Scott said with his trademark grin.

Kira tugged on his arm. “So who would die first?”

She was clapping her hands.

“You really want me to determine this?” Derek asked.

“We know that you won’t hold back,” Lydia said. 

“We’re also drunk and dumb,” Erica giggled.

“Your funeral,” said Derek looking at all of them.

He pointed at Lydia. “Starts the movie with everyone looking at your boobs, ends the movies throwing homemade bombs.”

Lydia seemed pleased. “Sounds like me.”

He turned to Erica. “You’re probably the one who starts out as shy and then probably loads a gun and blasts her way out in the most bad assed way possible.”

Erica cackled and looked pointedly at Isaac. “Derek is my favorite cousin.”

“Let me guess,” Isaac said rolling his eyes at Derek. “I die.”

“Totally,” Derek said with a grin. “But not first.”

He turned towards Boyd. “You’d do something heroic and go out in a blaze of glory, probably saving Erica.”

Boyd nodded. “I can live with that.”

Derek looked at Kira, who looked worried. “You probably die, but its saving everyone by pulling some kind of trap for the bad guy. Something highly complex. It makes everyone sad, you would make it to the middle of the movie.”

She looked disappointed, but happy that she wouldn’t die first.

Derek turned to Scott. “You would die first, mostly because you’ve never seen Star Wars.”

Scott threw a pillow at him. Stiles cackling in the background.

“What about me?” Stiles asked.

Derek appraised him. “You’d be the one that dies but comes back. Probably twice. You literally cannot be killed off.”

The smile on Stiles’ face came with a little nose scrunch. Then he stood up and did something that was probably meant as a dance. 

“In your face,” he said too Scott.

“This is your fault,” Scott said to Derek. 

Derek just shrugged. “You guys really don’t have homework tonight?”

“We arranged tonight to confirm our majors,” Kira said. “We thought we would get together and bounce it off each other.”

Derek raised his eyebrows. He knew he was going to be a Poly-Sci major with a minor in pre-law and then heading off to law school since he was in junior high. He had never thought about what it was like to have to think about it.

“So where did everyone land?” Derek asked, honestly curious about his roommates.

“Bio,” Scott said. “I’m going to be a vet.”

“Psychology, Sociology, and Math for fun,” Lydia said.

Derek just looked at her. “Is a triple major even possible?”

Lydia nodded. “There is some crossover and I have to get the right study option, but I can swing it. I only have three classes left for the math major anyway. AP classes and I took college courses in high school, I was almost a junior when I came in.”

Derek just stared at her. “How smart are you?”

Lydia winked at him. “That is beyond the understanding of mortal men.”

“I guess so,” Derek said nodding towards Isaac. “What did you decide on?”

“Art History,” Isaac said.

“He’s going to be that kind of rich kid,” Erica said with a sigh.

“Dear drunk dad hasn’t disowned me yet despite my best efforts,” Isaac said. “Might as well.”

Erica shrugged. “I’m doing Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality studies.”

“Aunt Debbie is proud?” Derek asked.

“She’s thrilled, she hated that I went to Stanford,” Erica said. “She thought it would change me. Like I was going to take Business or Economics.”

“And you?” Derek asked Kira.

She looked ridiculously excited. “Computer Science and Pre-Med. I’m going to change the whole medical industry.”

Derek looked at Scott. “She’s too good for you.”

Scott grinned. “I know.”

There was one that he had heard some, but he didn’t know what the final call would be. He looked at Stiles.

“Sociology and Ethics in Society,” Stiles said. “I checked it out. It will look great on my Quantico application.”

“You decided,” Derek said with a grin.

“You do know that the entire reason I put up with you is so that your mom will write me a recommendation,” Stiles informed him.

Derek nodded solemnly. “Did Lydia create this evil plan for you? I don’t think you’re smart enough to come up with that on your own.”

This time Stiles threw a pillow at Derek’s head.

**

Everyone was talking about spring break plans. Erica and Boyd were taking a road trip to Mexico. Lydia was going to Bali. Isaac was heading to Europe. Kira was taking Scott to San Francisco to meet her parents.

Derek had a heavy course load because of his transfer and he was going to stay at the house and get work done in the quiet.

“That sucks man,” Stiles said sitting on Derek’s bed, reading a book.

“I went to the Ibiza last year,” Derek said at his desk as he typed a paper. “I managed to have fun for two Spring Breaks.”

“I could come back early,” Stiles said thoughtfully. “I mean I’m just going to be hanging around with my dad in Beacon. Some of us don’t have Ibiza money”

“Yeah, that sounded douchey,” Derek muttered. “And don’t worry about coming back. I have to study and write a paper.”

Stiles turned to look at him. “I’m coming back to make sure you have moved and eaten.”

“I have a mother,” Derek told him.

“And she’s off running the free world, like third in line to run the country,” Stiles said, going back to his book. “It’s a good thing you have me.”

**

Derek grew up in a house with two sisters, parents, and his uncle and his family. Going in and out were always people who worked for his mother. He had lived with his sister in college in New York. It was a day into an empty house when Derek realized for all his desire for isolation, he had never spent an entire day without people.

On day two he was going a little loopy. On day three he had given up working and was laying on the couch, staring at the ceiling.

He heard the door open and smiled.

“Did you even see your father?” Derek yelled.

Stiles popped his head into the living room and snorted.

“Nice studying there,” Stiles said, coming to plop down on the end of the couch.

“I overestimated my motivation,” Derek said listlessly. “When all I have to do is study it is too hard.”

Stiles laughed. “I’ve never seen anyone need day drinking as badly as you.”

Derek gave him a skeptical look. 

Stiles poked him. “Come on. It’s spring break. One day, we get drunk and pull shenanigans. Nothing bad is going to happen.”

He was partially right.

**

Derek woke up on the floor besides the couch with a hangover, mouth that tasted like ass, a sore ass, and an aching itch on his back. He moved a little and his entire body hurt and his clothes were chafing.

He cracked his eye open to Stiles hand hanging off the couch. He groaned a little at the aches in his body, which wasn’t helped at all by sleeping on the floor.

“Too loud,” Stiles said from where his face was buried in the couch.

“Let’s go drunk roller-skating Derek,” Derek said in a falsetto. “It’ll be fun.”

Stiles laughed into the couch, his shoulders shaking. Then he flipped around and looked at Derek, his eyes were full of mirth.

“You suck so bad!” Stiles said at a volume neither of them appreciated. “I found something that Derek Hale is not good at.”

Derek felt how bad he was by the pain all over his body from the many times that he had hit the floor. Stiles had been surprisingly good on roller-skates. He said something about a misspent youth with Scott. Derek didn’t totally absorb the story because Stiles had been skating backwards, Derek was hating him, and then Derek fell on the floor again.

Derek looked back up at Stiles and the pain in his body faded a bit.

There was something about his face, about the joy in his eyes. Derek felt the breath catch in his throat. They were in an empty house. Derek was floored by the feeling that there is nowhere else he wanted to be than with Stiles in an empty house. He wanted just to spend the rest of the week with Stiles smiling at him like that.

Then Derek remembered the rest of their day yesterday.

“Fuck you, Stiles,” Derek said rushing to stand up.

Ignoring the nausea he ran up the stairs, shedding his jacket and shirt. He ran into the bathroom and twisted around so he could see his back in the mirror. He tore at the bandage on his back.

Stiles trailed up behind him. Derek finally got the bandage off and saw the rather large tattoo on his back. He turned to Stiles, ready to offer some choice words when he saw the look on Stiles’ face.

It was completely unguarded and just looking. It took Derek a minute to realize that Stiles was looking at him like that. Stiles was looking at his half naked body like he was starving.

Finally, after what seemed like a century and not enough time, Stiles drew his eyes back up to Derek’s.

Derek couldn’t remember why he was angry. To be honest, he was having trouble with his own name.

Stiles’ eyes were wide.

They stood there, not making any sudden movements.

“I should shower,” Derek finally said, his voice coming out a little raw.

Stiles nodded and turned around, but he turned all the way around making a circle.

“You have to cover it,” Stiles said, a little breathlessly, running from the room.

Derek just stared after him, breathing a hard. He had a good idea what just happened, to be honest it wasn’t a shock or unwelcomed. It just had snuck up on him a little. Stiles had always been there. He didn’t notice that these feelings were also there.

Stiles reappeared with a plastic bag and bandage tape.

“Turn around,” Stiles said, flushing a little.

Derek swallowed and turned around, bracing himself on the sink. He felt Stiles’ fingers on his back. Stiles was putting the bag over his new tattoo. Derek could see goosebumps raising on his own arms.

“It looks good,” Stiles said softly, fingers ghosting over the tattoos. “They did a good job.”

Derek could feel Stiles’ breath on his back. He was being driven crazy.

“I cannot believe you talked me into tattoos and then fainted about ten seconds in,” Derek said gruffly, his voice coming out in a weird cadence.

Stiles seemed to be caressing the tape down. Derek grasped onto the sink a little harder.

“Sorry,” Stiles said absentmindedly before removing his hands. “You’re all set to shower.”

Stiles turned and ran away like he was on fire.

**

When Derek got out of the shower and into his room, he heard Stiles jump in. Derek padded downstairs to sit on the couch. He had jerked off in the shower. He didn’t want to tempt himself into seeing if Stiles would do the same. He was more worried Stiles wouldn’t rather that he would.

He had no idea what to do now.

Derek was on the couch, surfing the television channels when Stiles came in and sat down on the far side. They both stared straight ahead.

“I think today requires the Fast and the Furious franchise,” Stiles said hesitantly.

Derek didn’t say anything and pulled up the first movie. He knew he should make some quip about it, but he couldn’t find the words.

“We need popcorn,” Stiles said stiffly. “I need something greasy to soak up this alcohol. I may still be drunk.”

Derek knew Stiles was giving an excuse for his previous behavior. Derek tried to find something to lighten the mood.

“One more shot Derek,” Derek said in his falsetto, this time it was a little low on enthusiasm.

“I’m a terrible influence,” Stiles said tonelessly leaving the room.

Derek let out a breath. He didn’t want it to be like this. He wanted either the Stiles from yesterday or the Stiles with the eyes blown out from the bathroom. It had never been rigid between them. Usually that was because of Stiles made things normal. It looked that this time it was going to have to be Derek to bring them back to normal.

When Stiles got back Derek had moved to the middle of the couch.

“You were going to get a wolf on your arm,” Derek said as casually as he could, reaching for the popcorn. “I think since I got one, every day for the rest of your life I get to draw a wolf on your arm.”

Stiles laughed, full and real. “I’ll buy you a sharpie. I didn’t know you could draw.”

“Oh, I can’t,” Derek said as he started the movie. “It’s going to be terrible. It will also remind you of your fainting shame.”

Stiles laughed again.

The tension dissipated and they spent the day on the couch, chatting and napping. 

They spent the rest of the week doing school work, watching movies, and other things that were not day drinking.

For a week Stiles had a badly drawn wolf on his arm. It was usually a little wobbly because neither one of them could stop laughing while it was being drawn.

Eyes lingered a little more than usual, hands touched whenever an excuse could be found, if they thought too long about it would have been weird.

**

It was almost the end of the semester. Derek woke up early and had to go to the bathroom.

He opened his door and at the end of the hall was Stiles kissing a man goodbye. Derek couldn’t move. He knew he shouldn’t stare, but he couldn’t stop staring with a million thoughts went through his head and a cold chill went through his body. Everything prickled and every thought he had rushed from his head.

He felt as if he was awake for the first time since Kate Argent tried to burn down his family’s home.

He watched as the man left, moving a little faster at Derek’s gaze. When he snapped back to Stiles, the look on Stiles’ face was absolute disgust.

“I can’t believe that you’re one of those, me hooking up with dudes makes you that grossed out?” Stiles said, crossing his arms.

The Derek of a minute ago would have turned around without a word. The Derek of a minute ago would have made a joke. The Derek of a minute ago wouldn’t have been so rude to have glared and stared.

That Derek didn’t seem to be around anymore.

“For all your bragging about reading people, you’re really crap at reading me,” Derek found himself saying.

Stiles blinked and Derek wanted to strangle him for not getting it. So he just turned to go into his room where he knew that he wasn’t going to sleep.

**

Erica looked at her watch and Stiles went into even more detail about this morning. He had been complaining for an hour, not noticing that his untouched food was getting cold. 

She put her head in her hands and let out a mild scream. “Stop. I don’t know how you managed to talk about a two-minute exchange for an hour, but I can’t deal with this anymore. Do you want to know why you’re so bothered about it or what the hell Derek was talking about?”

Boyd put a hand on her shoulder to quiet her.

“Maybe,” Boyd interrupted. “You’re biased by your own presumptions, maybe you saw what you assumed to be true.”

Stiles looked at Boyd with wide eyes and then he shook his head.

“Then what else could it be?” Stiles asked.

“Batman, you can’t be…” Erica began, leaning forward.

“Be more objective. Look at it from other angles,” Boyd interrupted calmly.

Stiles looked dejectedly at his uneaten food. “I’ve gotta go.”

Erica turned towards Boyd as Stiles left.

“Really?” Erica said. “We could have solved this problem really quickly.”

Boyd leaned back in the booth and gave her a grin. “The whole group of you does not react well to being told what to do. You tell him and it would make this so much more drama and he would have kept talking for another three hours.”

Erica gave him a skeptical face.

Boyd leaned in and tickled her a little. “Does he like me. He can’t like me. Is the reason that I am always hovering over him mean I like him?”

She giggled and wrapped her arms around him and wiggled suggestively. “What time do you have to be in the garage? Do we have time before work?”

Boyd played with a stray end of her hair. “For you girl, always.”

**

Stiles paced. 

In the quad.

In the rain.

When he was a child, he wanted to be a criminal profiler. Part of him still wanted to be one. His father used to give him casefiles and he’d ‘profile’ them. Stiles had a sneaking suspicion that he had actually been responsible for his father figuring out who had been the Warehouse Vandal.

He tried to clear his mind and figure out what Erica had been talking about. 

He thought about it, but nothing was coming to mind. He wasn’t used to not having thoughts. It never had happened before. Typically he had too many thoughts.

He was oblivious to the rain that was soaking him.

He stopped. Took a deep breath.

“What is the craziest thing that his look could have meant?” Stiles asked out loud.

Suddenly a thought popped into his head.

It was the craziest thing he could think of.

It was beyond crazy.

It was what he wanted. 

He’d only had the biggest crush on Derek Hale since he was fifteen years old. He didn’t think it would go anywhere, his crushes usually didn’t, but Derek had let him set up shop in his life and treated him like he belonged there, like he was wanted.

Stiles started running towards the house.

**

Derek was laying on his bed reading when Stiles, soaking wet, flung open his door.

Stiles crossed the small room and reached out for Derek’s face. His eyes were wide and terrified. Water from his hair fell onto Derek.

“Tell me I’m reading you wrong,” Stiles said in a voice that held a little bit of panic.

Derek kissed him.

**NOW**

Lydia looked Derek over from head to toe.

“Lydia, it’s an interview,” Derek said. “We’re not even doing pictures today.”

“Senator, every article always talks about the way that the subject is dressed,” Lydia said. “If you’re going to do this, we’re going to cross every T and dot every I.”

She went up to him and fussed with this collar.

“There is one question I didn’t ask,” Lydia said.

“I find that hard to believe,” Derek said. 

Lydia pursed her lips. “I never asked if you already have someone in mind?”

Derek gave her his most public facing smile. “Why Lydia, are you asking me out?”

Lydia very uncharacteristically choked on some laughter.

His smile slipped back into something more real. “I don’t think that question is important.”

Lydia nodded and brushed off his shoulder. “Take a deep breath, Senator, this is the last one you’ll have in a while.”

**

The right question came about an hour in, they had covered policies and his passions. The last few were just meant to be fluffer filler questions.

“Do you ever think that you’ll find love again?” the interviewer, Melinda, asked. She was flirting lightly and Derek leaned in a little.

“Well, I’ve had three pretty impactful people I have loved,” Derek said. “Kate burned down my house and taught me a bit about caution, Paige was the one who showed me that I could really make changes in this world, and the guy I dated in college showed me who I was and made me comfortable in my own skin.”

Her smile wavered for a moment and Melinda blinked.

“But I’d like to find someone one day,” Derek said, not changing his smile. “They just have to be something special. I don’t do half assed”

Her smile came back full force.

“I’ve heard of stories of the other two,” Melinda asked. “But your college boyfriend is new. Is there anything else you want to share about that?”

Derek shrugged. “He’s really special to me. It’s not fair to bring him in the public eye just because I am.”

Melinda gave him a true smile and moved the conversation on.

**

Derek left and Lydia went up to the interviewer who looked at her warily.

“He said it, I have it on tape,” Melinda said turning towards Lydia.

Lydia nodded. “You can use it. Have your fact checker call me if you want confirmation, I went to college with him. I just want to make sure you respect his wishes. You don’t look any further into his college boyfriend than me.”

Melinda considered her. “You want this out.”

“And you will handle this with respect,” Lydia said in a voice barbed with threats.

Melinda just gave her a gigantic smile. “You can call me any time for any of these pieces.”

“We’ll see how you handle this and how good your grammar is,” Lydia replied.

“You know I can write,” Melinda said. “You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t know I could write. I know who you are.”

“And that is something you will not put in your article,” Lydia told her.

“Oh, I have enough for my article,” Melinda said. 

Lydia raised an eyebrow and swept out of the room.

**

Lydia got into the car next to Derek. She rolled up the divider with the driver and sat patiently while the car pulled out. She took a deep breath and turned towards him.

“I’m your college roommate for this drive, Lydia Martin is only outside this car,” Lydia said.

“It was a relationship Lydia,” Derek said glaring her down, jumping in before she could say anything. “We were together, committed, if people call him my boyfriend then they aren’t wrong. He used to call me his boyfriend, just because you didn’t hear it doesn’t mean it didn’t exist. We didn’t throw it in everybody’s face but if you ask Stiles he will say the same thing.”

Lydia threw up her hands. “I know. I have asked him and he’s cagey about it as you are, what the fuck is the love him shit. Is he going to find out that you love him from some interview in Vanity Fair, because I’ve been real patient when you are using him to do this. You’ve been as gentle as possible with it, but I will not have him be hurt by all this.”

“I’m not using him,” Derek almost yelled. “I swear to fucking god I would not do anything to hurt him. I let him go when I just wanted to follow him to Quantico. I have never spoken about him because I wanted to protect him. I don’t not talk about him because I’m ashamed. I don’t talk about him because he’s the most precious thing in the world to me and I don’t want anyone’s opinion on our relationship. He’s mine and I don’t want anyone touching our relationship. You want to protect him? Well get behind me because I will burn this world down if it is an inconvenience to him.”

He was breathing hard and Lydia looked at him wide eyed.

“Will he find out that you loved him from a magazine?” Lydia asked in almost a whisper.

“No,” Derek said through gritted teeth. “He found out years ago from me.”

**THEN**

Isaac, Boyd, and Erica already sat at the kitchen table when Scott and Kira came in and stumbled to the coffee machine.

They all looked at each other as the microwave light blinked 5:30.

“I miss them fighting. It was just as loud, but at least they would wait until a respectable hour,” Isaac muttered collapsing onto the table.

“They’re just so loud,” Erica said, looking at all of them in panic. “Are we that loud?”

Lydia swept in, wearing her robe and an eye mask on her head. “No. Derek Hale has lungs on him and Stiles won’t ever stop talking and that boy has a garbage mouth.”

“I want to be happy for them,” Kira said quietly.

“Don’t worry about that,” Lydia sighed. “Nobody likes the horny couple at five am.”

**

Derek took a deep breath and picked up his phone.

“Hey honey,” his mother said after one ring.

“Hey mom,” Derek said hesitantly.

“What’s wrong?” she said, instantly going into mamma bear mode.

“Absolutely nothing,” Derek said in a rush. “It’s all really really good.”

“What’s her name?” his mother immediately asked.

“Stiles,” Derek said holding his breath. He had told her he might like guys when he was in high school and kissed the first one, but he wasn’t sure what her reaction would be.

“Like the Sheriff’s son?” his mother asked with subtext he couldn’t read.

“The Sheriff’s son,” Derek confirmed.

There was a pause and then his mother started laughing.

Derek looked at the phone.

His mother laughed and talked in between. “I’m so sorry. It’s just, that boy, oh Derek you have your hands full. I should call Noah and make sure he has my credit card for when you are going to need bail money. That boy is the sweetest kind of trouble.”

“Don’t call the Sheriff,” Derek said immediately. “I’m not sure Stiles has told his dad yet.”

“Stiles Stilinski?” Talia laughed. “That boy is not exactly subtle. I’m sure his father knew before you did.”

Derek thought about Stiles coming back three days into vacation. He was pretty sure the Sheriff had a good idea.

“Oh thank you for calling me,” Talia said. “The thought of my serious son with Stiles Stilinski gives me hope for you yet.”

Derek rolled his eyes. “I should have called Laura.”

“Tell me more about it,” Talia said.

“It’s early yet, let’s not jinx it,” Derek said. “I just wanted to know if I can use the Beacon House this summer.”

“Sure,” Talia said. “Are you going to spend the whole summer there? We’ll have to come out to visit. I haven’t seen you in too long and I have to re-meet your new partner.”

“Glorious,” Derek muttered and tried to change the subject. “There is another thing. I’m thinking about getting my master’s in public policy here at Stanford before going to law school at Harvard.”

He was pretty sure that his mother could see right through him.

“That is wonderful,” his mother said with an all too knowing voice. “The hands-on program at Stanford will give you so much exposure to something you would never see otherwise.”

Derek let out a breath. His mother was always encouraging. 

“You don’t mind?” Derek asked.

“Oh sweetie,” Talia said. “I worry about Laura socializing more than school and I worry about Cora changing her mind every day, but you’ve always been driven in the right direction and this sounds like an amazing path. Some people go backpacking through Europe, my son gets his master’s so he can spend more time with his boy.”

Derek smiled a little in spite of himself. 

“Now tell me more about you and Stiles,” Talia said with another little laugh.

“Mother,” Derek groaned.

**

The first day back at Beacon Hills found the cousins at the Hale Hole. Erica was laying on the rocks with ridiculous sunglasses watching Derek and Isaac jumping off the rocks.

The first day back Scott had declared ‘Bro Day’, which would probably include Lydia at some point so Erica had declared it to be ‘Hale Cousin Day’. Between finals and Stiles they hadn’t seen Derek in a while.

Isaac came up and shook his head on Erica and water went flying. She squealed.

“Derek got us a new house,” Isaac announced. “The big white place on Foster street.”

“No way,” Erica squealed. “Can everyone afford that? I’m pretty sure it has a pool.”

Derek shrugged. “Mom rented it for a steal from one of her friends. Since I’m probably going to be staying there for three years, we got a good deal.”

“And you’re going to lie your pretty face off about rent when it comes to Stiles and Scott,” Erica chastised.

“Yep,” Derek said. “I need an actual room with windows. I cannot stand the cell for another year. I will lie to Scott and Stiles if I can fit a queen-sized bed in my room.”

Isaac groaned. “Any chance that this house has better sound proofing?”

“Yes,” Derek said, his ears going red and then turned to Erica. “If you want to ask Boyd to move in you can have the master suite.”

Erica grinned.

Isaac lay back on the ground. “When is Cora coming to town?”

“In a month or so,” Derek said. “She’s going to South America with a couple of her new college friends.”

“And the parents?” Isaac asked. 

“August,” Derek said.

“So we have the whole house to ourselves most of the summer?” Isaac said with approval. “This rocks.”

“Mom sent your dad to rehab too,” Derek said.

Isaac shrugged. “Well I don’t think time eighteen will work, but hey at least he is out of our hair.”

“This is depressing,” Erica said. 

“Have you heard from your mom yet?” Isaac asked.

“She called last night,” Erica sighed. “She’s in Thailand. You two are stuck with me this summer.”

“When does Boyd get back?” Derek asked.

“Am I not bro time enough?” Isaac mocked.

“Aww, you know I love you,” Derek said.

At that moment they heard someone coming down the path. Lydia appeared leading Scott and Stiles.

“I refuse to let them sit inside and play video games all day,” Lydia announced.

She held up her hand and Scott and Stiles stopped.

“I have a summer and beyond announcement. Erica and I have talked and we have decided that if certain people stop sleeping together that none of us are taking sides,” Lydia announced. “There are no Team Stiles and Team Derek. If this thing ends badly we will expect you not to make us feel uncomfortable with your drama.”

“You two will not unravel the group,” Erica agreed. “And you will learn to have quiet morning sex.”

Derek and Stiles were trying to keep straight faces.

“We’re going to have to come up with another plan to destroy the group,” Stiles said sadly to Derek.

“I can’t believe they saw through our evil plot,” Derek nodded.

“We’ll just have to continuing having sex while we work on our new plan,” Stiles said somberly.

“Apparently we can’t do it in the morning though,” Derek added dryly.

“You all suck,” Isaac said. “Who wants to jump off things?”

Stiles, Scott, Derek, and Isaac went to jump off things.

Lydia came and sat down next to Erica.

“We have too many boys in our lives,” Lydia said.

Erica nodded. “I miss Kira.”

**

Derek licked up Stiles’ back and Stiles let out a happy sigh.

The morning was already getting warm, but the breeze through the window was still cool enough. They were both sweating, having gotten up with the birds, but they hadn’t moved beyond their pillows.

Derek slotted himself behind Stiles. Stiles curled into him.

“We are so good at that,” Stiles said happily.

“So good,” Derek agreed.

They just enjoyed being entwined together for a little bit.

“The group is really confused by us,” Stiles said. “Not that we’re together, but they don’t seem to know how to categorize what we are.”

Derek turned him around. They lay on the pillows face to face.

“Are you confused by what we are?” Derek said. “You’re the only one I care about being sure.”

Stiles gave him a smile. “I know what we are. It’s a little overwhelming.”

“Then we will talk about it when it’s not,” Derek said. “We’ll do this our own way.”

“I may have slept with a few people,” Stiles began.

Derek growled in dissatisfaction.

“Get over it,” Stiles said cupping his face. “I’m not now, I may have but I’m a little too busy for anyone but you. Lord knows, I can’t imagine wanting anyone but you. So I’ve had hookups, but I’ve never had a boyfriend before. It’s pretty great.”

Derek grinned.

“It won’t be overwhelming forever,” Derek said. “When its normal we’ll bore all our friends with boring details.”

Derek was wrong. This thing between them never stopped being overwhelming.

**

The summer was hot, fun and too short. They found themselves moving into a much larger house far too soon.

Everyone was running around. Derek had a heavy senior year class load and was also trying to get into the graduate school and law school. The rest of them were getting into the bulk of their majors. There was less drinking and hanging out.

It was about a month in when the house saw Derek and Stiles fight for the first time.

Everyone was sitting in the large living room that had plenty of windows and couches. They had definitely come up in the world.

“What do you want to do for dinner?” Derek asked Stiles.

“Anything sounds good,” Stiles replied, not looking up from his book.

“Let’s get Thai,” Derek nodded.

“No, I don’t want that,” Stiles said.

“Why do you always do that? Just tell me what you want,” Derek growled.

Stiles looked up from his book. “Because I don’t really care.”

“Apparently you do,” Derek said. “You have something in mind and you just want me to guess it. Not everyone can ‘read’ people. Some of us require conversation. Use your words.”

“I am using my words,” Stiles said angrily. “You just aren’t listening.”

“Oh I’m listening,” Derek huffed. “You know what, I’m going for Thai. Figure out your own deal.”

The rest of the house hadn’t seen them fight since they got together. For the rest of the evening they tip toed around, worried that this was the beginning of the end.

They were woken up at five am with loud sex that didn’t end for hours. 

The bickering happened from time to time. It took a couple more times before it stopped registering. Everyone got used to it. They still didn’t know what was going on. Neither Stiles nor Derek gave a look to another people, they were connected at the hip, but without the regular sex noises they didn’t really notice any physical signs that Derek and Stiles were together. The House didn’t know what to think. 

They just didn’t notice that Derek and Stiles had skipped the early relationship part and had jumped into being an old married couple.

**

Stiles traced over the tattoo Derek’s back.

“Are you staying here because of me? Next year?”

Derek turned his head. “Yes.”

Stiles looked thoughtful at that.

“Stiles,” Derek said. “I got into Harvard Law. I was able to defer two years. It’s not like I’m putting my life on hold. I’m getting a Masters. If I figure out I hate you I still have Harvard and a bonus degree.”

“I’m going to Quantico,” Stiles said hesitantly. “When I’m done school. If they’ll have me.”

“Then we know when it ends,” Derek said. “Why try to ruin it before then?”

Stiles kissed Derek’s neck. “We’ll have been together a year tomorrow.”

Derek smiled. “I know.”

“We’ll have two more years,” Stiles whispered against Derek’s skin.

Derek held him closer. He wasn’t entirely sure that was going to be enough time.

**

Somehow the entire house got tickets to Derek’s graduation. Stiles didn’t question what Lydia had done to get the tickets, he had come to trust in the mysterious ways of Lydia Martin. The house sat in the seats and screamed their heads off when his name was called.

Afterwards everyone crowded around Derek, his friends and his family. They all went out to the dinner in a private room at the restaurant of one of the best chefs in the city.

“Oh my god,” Stiles said as he finished his meal. “This is so good. I need a second stomach.”

“You’re going to be so spoiled after this,” Cora said to him, they had been friends when they were younger, but she had been a little prickly with him since she found out he was with Derek.

“Leave him alone,” Derek said from Stiles’ other side.

Cora studied him. “Well, at least you’re better than Kate.”

Derek covered his face with his hands. “We found her in box of howler monkeys. She’s not really my sister.”

“She is just like you when you moved in,” Stiles said, smiling at Cora. “Just as charming.”

Cora snorted and leaned forward. “Oh, are you gonna fall for me?”

Stiles shook his head. “Do you know how much work it was to get him to be a decent person? I don’t have it in me for a second round.”

Cora’s face took on a serious look and her eyes flitted to her brother for a second. She seemed to connect the timing of when Stiles met her brother to the comments.

“Thank you,” she said softly before folding up her napkin and getting up.

Derek was watching his sister and then turned incredulously to Stiles. “How did you do that.”

“I’m the Hale whisperer,” Stiles informed him.

Derek just rolled his eyes and changed the subject. “Are you okay with the Europe Trip? Mom kind of just threw that at us.”

“Spending three weeks in Europe with you on your parent’s dime?” Stiles asked. “It’s a hardship and a blow to my pride, but there is no way in hell that I’m saying no. I mean it’s going to dent the money I make this summer, but almost a month in Europe with my boyfriend? I’ll live off raumen and Lydia’s leftovers. I can’t believe your parents worked it out with my dad.”

“They’re becoming quite chummy,” Derek said.

“I think they laugh at us behind our backs,” Stiles replied.

“I know, right?” Derek said.

“We’re going to Europe,” Stiles said with a grin. “This is going to be so great. You and me and the world.”

They grinned at each other. They were still in a whirlwind of overwhelmed of this thing.

**

Europe was a memory that Stiles and Derek would never forget. Running through the streets and canals they fell in love.

They said it in whispers in churches and in luxurious hotel rooms.

They didn’t remember to tell anyone.

They were just too wrapped up in each other to bother.

**

School started again and everyone saw each other less between classes and studying.

Derek was stressed and frustrated with some of his coursework. The house started to step a little gingerly. Stiles was a little preoccupied and didn’t notice.

“Derek, I need you to come down here,” Isaac said, giving Derek an address over the phone, adding a, “It’s Stiles,” at the end. Then the phone went dead.

Derek grabbed his keys and ran out the door in a second. He imagined the worst case scenarios. His doom and gloom was changed to confusion when he came to the Spunky Kitty, a hole in the wall strip club.

It was not in any scenario he had imagined.

It was a Tuesday night and he didn’t know why he was finding Stiles and Isaac at one of the towns low rent strip clubs.

He walked in the door hesitantly. The club was mostly empty, Isaac at a table by himself, sipping on a glass of amber liquid, on the other side, but the stage was Stiles surrounded by a group of mostly clothed strippers. They were talking animatedly.

Derek made his way to Isaac.

Isaac tipped his glass as Derek came over.

“Why am I here?” Derek asked. “Why are you here?”

Isaac smiled. “Stiles and I had nothing to do and since my break up last week Stiles decided we should go to a strip club. This is the last time I let a gay guy pick my break up strip club.”

Derek sat down and Isaac waved for a round of drinks. He looked at Stiles who was loudly talking to the strippers.

“It may not be the gay choice, it may just be Stiles choice,” Derek commented with a little smile on his lips.

Isaac accepted the waitress’s new drinks.

“I never saw it before, I don’t think that anyone has really seen it,” Isaac said.

“See what?” Derek asked.

Stiles finally saw Derek and his face broke into the largest grin. It didn’t matter that Derek had seen it a million times. It still made his heart skip a beat.

“That,” Isaac said. “He’s into you.”

“Derek!” Stiles said, leading the strippers over to the table.

Derek gave him an incredibly exasperated, confused and fond look.

“And you’re into him,” Isaac muttered.

“You haven’t noticed the last year and a half?” Derek muttered.

Isaac had a small smile on his face. “I saw bickering and heard sex, I didn’t see this.”

“This is him!” Stiles said, eyes glowing, apparently a few drinks in, looking at the assembled group of strippers. “This is who I was telling you about.”

“Nicely done,” one of the strippers said approvingly.

“So jealous,” another one said.

“You did really well,” came from the group.

Derek looked like he was going to start laughing at any time. “You were telling these ladies about me?”

“You can’t be half as wonderful as he says,” said a skeptical looking stripper.

“But he hit the hotness on the head,” another one commented.

“You don’t even know,” Stiles said waving his hand. “He’s amazing.”

Stiles turned back towards the girl and started telling them something about their trip to Europe.

Derek turned towards Isaac. “Why am I here?”

Isaac shrugged. “If I was having a hard week, I someone gushing drunkenly about how wonderful I am would make me feel better, the bonus in the stripper adoration.”

Derek just looked at him.

“We all know I’m not quite normal,” Isaac said. “But I’m usually not wrong.”

“I thought this was about getting you over your broken heart,” Derek said.

Isaac snorted. “My heart is hardly broken. This is more Stiles being Stiles, with an added touch that he’s a romantic now that he’s been with you.”

Derek took a sip of his drink.

“For what it’s worth this does help my breakup,” Isaac said. “Seeing how much he is into you, seeing how quickly you got down here. It’s pretty inspiring.”

Derek snorted. “You want a relationship like ours?”

“Yeah,” Isaac said. “I kind of do.”

Stiles threw himself in Derek’s lap. “Derek! I made so many friends.”

The strippers were all laughing.

“Can we keep him, Derek?” the strippers asked.

Stiles wrapped his arms around Derek.

“I think the gentleman is spoken for,” Isaac said dryly.

Stiles grinned. “Very spoken for.”

**

Lydia was crying in the bathroom when Derek came home. Derek was halfway through the first year of his master’s and at times he felt like crying too.

Something about the way her hair was flying in various direction made him think that whatever made her cry was something different.

“What’s wrong?” he asked Lydia.

She looked up, a bruise blooming on her cheek.

“Who do I have to kill,” Derek asked flatly.

“No,” she said firmly.

“You didn’t deny it,” Derek said through clenched teeth. “Tell me I jumped to the wrong conclusion.”

She gave him a weak smile through her tears. “I’m not a damsel in distress. I just got into something over my head.”

Derek came and sat before her, swallowing down the rage that he felt. “You’re not weak if you let someone help you do something you can’t do and you can’t do everything.”

She sobbed and smiled. “You learned that from Stiles. He kept saying that when your parents gave you the trip to Europe.”

“He’s a good influence,” Derek said. “I’ve almost learned that one. Now you have to be strong enough to let me help you.”

“I won’t let you get in trouble,” Lydia shook her head. “I’m not going to continue a cycle of violence.”

Derek took a deep breath and reigned in his anger. He knew he could probably beat the crap out of the pretty, but pathetic that Lydia usually went out with, however that would probably only be a temporary fix.

“Something I learned from you is that there are many ways to destroy someone,” Derek said slowly. “Stiles is also one to preach about looking at things in a different way.”

She looked up at him.

“I don’t use my name to get things,” he said slowly. “Sometimes I feel like I’ll never live up to it so I don’t use it. You are either going to let me kill this guy or you are going to come with me and we’re going to use my name to drag this guy through the mud. I’m going to be Derek Fucking Hale of the Hales and god help this guy. I’m going to be right next to you the entire way. You will not be alone.”

Lydia swallowed and the mascara streaked bruised queen of the goddamned world stood up. Derek reached out for her hand.

**

Six hours later they were in the police station.

They had spent four hours in the Dean of Students office with a police officer, going over Lydia’s statement. Derek hadn’t left her side. She had sat up straight and tall. He had watched over her silently the whole time. When it looked like the Dean of Students or cops were wavering, he reminded them who he was, what that meant, who his mother was, and just how much a scandal he could make by calling the newspapers.

They didn’t know that he didn’t have a clue how to get in touch with newspapers.

The arrogance over his name was unfamiliar on his lips, but he had learned something from Kate Argent after all. He could be a stone-cold asshole when he needed to.

They sat in the police station to identify the suspect and get pictures of Lydia’s injuries. Derek hadn’t let go of her hand for more than a few minutes. She didn’t look at him, but she squeezed back.

“You’re really good at this,” she said softly.

“I’ll do the right thing in questionable ways every time,” Derek said.

“Thank you,” she said in a whisper. “I don’t think I could have done this without you.

He looked at her and tilted her head to look in his eyes. “You are the strongest person I know. Don’t ever doubt that. This entire day I just keep asking myself ‘What Would Lydia Do’?”

She smiled. “You’re a good one.”

Stiles came running in. He saw them there and crumpled at Lydia’s feet.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Bored, tired, hungry, but okay,” she said in a voice none of them believed.

“Why don’t I see what we have for food,” Derek said. “Give you two some time to talk.”

They both shot him a grateful look. He walked out and asked about food and walked to a food cart a block away. He took his time to give Lydia and Stiles some time, as privately as they could in a police station.

When he came back Stiles stood up and wrapped him in a huge hug when he came near.

“I’m so proud of you,” Stiles said, voice wavering.

“I just got sandwiches,” Derek said, trying to brush away his compliment.

Stiles pulled back and looked at him and then cupped his face and kissed him. It was just a second and then he pulled back, those amber eyes glowing with pain for Lydia and pride for him.

“You’re amazing,” Stiles said.

He turned back to Lydia who had a small smile on her lips and wrapped her in a hug.

“You both did the right thing,” he said. “I’m so goddamned proud of you both.”

“Derek wanted to kill him,” Lydia said, taking a sandwich from Derek.

“To be honest, I would have probably been okay with that too, but this way I don’t have to worry about visiting him in jail and having his mother be angry at me,” Stiles said. 

It took another hour until they could go home.

When they got home, they sat on the couch in the dark. Derek and Stiles took turns holding Lydia while she cried. When everyone else came home she dried her tears.

Everybody spent the night cuddled up in the living room.

**

Everyone stayed in the house in Palo Alto that summer. There were internships and jobs.

“I don’t think I like growing up,” Stiles said pouring over his books. “Do you think I can opt out?

Scott looked up from where he was reading and sunbathing. They were out at the pool.

“I’m pretty sure that we’re not having the usual college experience,” Scott said. “We just happened to become friends with people in kindergarten who have brought us along for this ride who happened to be cousins with someone who dated an arsonist and we get this house and a pool.”

Stiles made a face. “Kate Argent, ugh.”

“Does Derek talk about her?” Scott asked.

“Of course,” Stiles said glibly. “It’s our favorite pillow talk.”

Scott made a face.

“No,” Stiles said sighing. “He talks around her. I can kind of see the affect it has on him. He doesn’t like the spot light. He won’t do his mother’s fundraisers. She basically put a psychological screwdriver in his head. He just doesn’t like people in his business or to be the center of attention.”

“He seems pretty okay with you being in his business,” Scott commented. 

Stiles grinned. “I’m the exception to every rule.”

“Just when it comes to Derek,” Scott said. “Is it like serious, serious?”

Stiles shrugged. “We’re just us.”

**

Derek and Stiles prepared for separate futures that they both were less enthusiastic about than they had once been.

The school year started and they had more demands than ever. Senior year wasn’t as much fun as freshman year had been. 

“I remember fun,” Erica said without looking up from her book.

“I don’t remember fun,” Stiles said. “It’s been too long.”

“What was that you were having at the crack of dawn?” Lydia asked. “It certainly seemed like you were having fun.”

Stiles blushed a little.

“I can’t wait for this to be over,” Erica sighed. “I just want to be back in Beacon Hills with Boyd.”

“There is an internship in DC I’m looking at,” Lydia said airily.

Stiles perked up. “You’re going to be in neck of the woods?”

“Maybe,” Lydia said, tapping her fingers to her lips. “Do you know there is an Amtrak to Boston? We could visit Derek.”

“It’s seven hours,” Stiles said, trying to stop her before she began. “That’s too far for a weekend jaunt.”

Lydia looked a little disappointed.

Stiles looked up at her. “This is just a college thing.”

He was lying. He knew he was lying. He just didn’t know how to change the truth.

**

It was in March of their final year that Stiles got the letter.

He walked into the bedroom that he essentially shared with Derek.

“I got in,” he said quietly.

Derek looked up from the desk. “That is great, why aren’t you more excited?”

Stiles looked at the paper that held his childhood dreams and then up the man of his dreams.

“Because it means we really do have an end date,” Stiles said.

Derek stood up and pulled Stiles to the bed. “We’ve talked about this. This is your dream and you will not just give it up for some guy.”

“Maybe we can make it work,” Stiles said hopefully, knowing that it probably wouldn’t.

Derek closed his eyes and put his lips to Stiles’ temples. “Nothing is set in stone. I don’t know how to make it work. I don’t know if I can deal with how painful long distance will be. I’m not going to plan on something that will make us miserable.”

“Do you think that ending it won’t be painful,” Stiles said.

“I think it will be like stabbing myself in the heart,” Derek said. “But at least it will only be once instead of doing it every time we have to say good bye. If we’re wrong about this, if we’re going to take this out in the real world all we have to do is make the call, we can change our minds at any time. We’ll never not know where the other can be found. At worst we know each other’s parent’s number.”

Stiles’ hand came up to Derek’s neck. “Tell me I’m not making a mistake.”

“The FBI may never come around again,” Derek said. “I’m going to love you forever.”

Stiles pulled back and looked at his face, his fingers tracing over Derek’s eyebrows. “I love you too, always.”

**

They had a few months left together before they went their separate ways on the east coast.

It was the happiest and saddest of their lives.

When it was time to go they didn’t cry. They held on to each other until it was time to cut out their own hearts and walk away.

**NOW**

Lydia lay on her couch, drinking white wine when Stiles came in. He had a key to her place and occasionally slept in the guest room. It was almost like college.

“When’s the article going to come out?” Stiles asked.

“In a week,” Lydia replied. “The photo shoot is tomorrow. You will be the one making all the statements when it comes out. He is only going to make one public statement on his sexuality and then he will talk about politics. You ready for the barrage?”

Stiles nodded and sat down on the end of the couch. “That’s why I get paid the big bucks.”

“That and I had to tempt you away from the FBI with something,” Lydia sighed.

“This is better than the FBI,” Stiles said. “Much less red tape and rules.”

“Do you regret going to the FBI?” Lydia asked.

Stiles shrugged. “It was my dream and I learned so much. It was the most amazing experience. I wouldn’t change it at all. I was an FBI profiler and it was everything I ever wanted. It’s just that for some reason I kept wanting more. I think I left because you promised me more than just a sterile room and company answers.”

Lydia just watched him, because he wasn’t answering the question she was actually asking.

“Will it be good?” Stiles asked. “The article?”

“I don’t believe people change,” Lydia said in an answer that wasn’t an answer at all. “Not really. I’ve bet my business model on the fact that I’m going to have return clients.”

Stiles, for all his knowledge of her and sense of people, had no idea where she was going with this.

“I don’t think you two have changed,” Lydia said quietly. “Not enough to make a difference.”

Stiles raised an eyebrow. “So it was good.” 

“I’ve asked you why you took this client, I asked Derek why he wanted to do this,” Lydia continued, wanting to have her conversation and not his. “You both gave me some pretty bullshit reasons. You’ve never asked me why I did this.”

There were unshed tears in her eyes. Stiles had gone blank.

“You assume I don’t have a motive beyond money or friendship,” Lydia said.

Stiles cocked his head and asked the question in a toneless voice. “Why did you take this case?”

Lydia’s face scrunched up and then she spoke in a small voice. “Because I’m not ready for it to be over. I am too emotionally invested. I don’t know if I ever will be ready for it to be over. I don’t know why you two are so ready for it, I don’t know why you didn’t fight for it then. I don’t know how you two don’t see it now. You’re looking for something bigger. He’s looking for something more. Ever think what the two of you is looking for is the same thing?”

Stiles just stared at her and left without a word.

She let out a little sob and picked up the phone.

“Hey Lyds,” Erica said happily. There was a baby cooing in the background.

“I fucked up,” Lydia said.

“With Derek’s thing?” Erica said. There was a rustling and a lack of baby sound now. “I’m putting you on speaker phone. Isaac is in town and Scott and Kira are over for dinner.”

“Hey Lydia,” a chorus said.

“Hey guys,” Lydia said. 

“What did you do to Derek?” Isaac said. “I don’t believe you’d let anything bad happen.”

“I didn’t with Derek,” Lydia sighed. “Everything is going to plan. The article will be out in a week and we’ll deal with the media and educate America on bisexuality. Derek is in safe hands.”

“So what did you screw up?” Erica asked.

“I told Stiles that he should be with Derek,” Lydia said.

Everyone groaned.

“You forgot the prime directive,” Kira said.

“I know we decided not to run between them when we left school,” Lydia said. “When we saw them so miserable afterwards, but I’ve spent the last week running between the two of them and they’re just both too smart to be this stupid. I couldn’t handle Derek pouring his heart out to me and Stiles trying to find something.”

“And you thought that pointing it out would be the best,” Erica concluded. “I have been there many times.”

“I know I’m an idiot,” Lydia said. “And the nosy friend and probably the one that prevents them from coming together organically. Stubborn assholes.”

There was a snicker in the background.

“Vernon Boyd, don’t you laugh at me,” Lydia said.

“You can’t ruin them,” Boyd said. “You can’t rush them. You definitely can’t brow beat them into giving it another shot.”

“I could lock them in a room together,” Lydia said. “They always seemed to enjoy that.”

“So glad being on the other side of the country means I have less chance of hearing them have sex,” Scott muttered. “But Boyd is right, we can’t force anything. They’re both too stubborn. Besides they’re going to wake up one day and move in, because that is just how they work.”

“Promise?” Lydia said. “Because they’re killing me.”

“When did you become a romantic, Lydia?” Erica asked.

“This is the only romance in my soul,” Lydia said. “Romance is too draining, but when Derek Hale says things like ‘I will burn down the world for Stiles’, you kind of can’t help it.”

“Om my god,” Erica said. 

“A little harlequin, don’t you think?” Isaac asked.

“I don’t know,” Scott said. “I’d leave Kira if he said that about me.”

Lydia laughed despite herself.

“Do you think that Derek needs some moral support?” Kira asked. “Somebody could fly out.”

“No,” Lydia replied. “If it gets bad, I want him to have a safe place to go with friendly faces. You guys are the backup plan.”

“Yes we’re the backup plan,” Scott said. 

There was a pause.

“If Derek makes it here it is because he’s being hounded and DC is unlivable,” Isaac said dryly. “We are a good back up plan, but we don’t want to be used.”

“I still don’t understand why Derek would want to go through what he left New York for all those years ago,” Scott pondered.

“Because of Stiles,” Lydia said tiredly. “He’s willing to do it for Stiles.”

Erica let out a whistle. “This is so frustrating.”

“Welcome to my world,” Lydia said. “Call me soon.”

With that she hung up and went back to her wine.

**

The article came out and Stiles showed up at Derek’s house with coffee.

Derek opened the door.

“You’re not answering your phone,” Stiles said breezing in. “I didn’t know if you take your bagels and coffee the same, but I got you the same and if you don’t take them that way anymore then just think of it as nostalgia.”

“I’ve gotten seventeen calls in the last half hour,” Derek said. “I’m not answering it any more today.”

“Hand it over,” Stiles said. “I’ll take care of things.”

Derek looked at him for a moment, taking in Stiles. For a second, he forgot that this shouldn’t be as familiar.

Stiles seemed to realize it at the same moment.

Derek handed over the phone.

Stiles handed over the bagels and coffee.

“So Senator, do you have your speech?” Stiles said after clearing his throat.

“Yes Mr. Stilinski,” Derek said.

Derek went to the counter to gather his things and then he paused.

“Stiles,” Derek said quietly. “What the hell did I just do?”

Stiles went up to him and began to put the files into his bag. “You did what you always do. The most superhuman thing. You did the right thing.”

Derek looked at Stiles. Stiles didn’t look away.

“I’m right next to you, Derek,” Stiles said. “I have your back.”

Derek took a deep breath, taking in the calm of Stiles’ eyes.

“Suck it up, Hale,” Stiles said calmly. “There is no backing out now.”

His voice was soft and smooth.

That was the moment that Derek knew it was going to be okay.

Stiles had that effect on him.

**

Once Derek had run from the flashbulbs and yells.

This time he walked through the crowd. He gave this a big smile and a wave.

At noon he gave a short speech that basically came down to it isn’t a big deal, he answered questions calmly and rationally for about half an hour. When he left Stiles answered questions, he was less calm, but just as rational. He oscillated between trying to educate and calling everyone ignorant.

Derek watched every second on his office television.

**

Stiles was standing with the press gaggle a few weeks later.

“Stiles,” one person asked. “You went to college with Senator Hale, do you know about his boyfriend?”

Stiles nearly choked. He tried to stifle his giggles.

“Of course,” Stiles managed in his most addressing the press voice. “But we, and by that I mean you vultures, promised to respect the person’s identity.”

“Is the Senator ashamed?” the press continued.

“The Senator has never been and will never be ashamed of anyone he has dated,” Stiles said breezily. “And he dated Kate Argent.”

And the press ate up the distraction and started to ask questions about Kate Argent. Stiles deftly did not talk about her any more than he talked about Derek Hale’s college boyfriend.

**

“I’m starting to get a dissociative disorder,” Stiles said slumping in a chair in Derek’s office. 

“They seem pretty interested in my college boyfriend,” Derek said. “I’m sorry. If I had known…”

Stiles waved a hand. “We have a plan if they find out. We expect them to at some point. Weirdly enough your college roommates in Beacon Hills are hyper protective of you. Who knew?”

“Erica nearly punched out a reporter,” Derek muttered. 

Stiles snorted. “I get the impulse.”

“I was hoping this would go away sooner,” Derek muttered. “The news cycle is too slow. I’m sorry for what I am putting you guys through.”

Stiles shrugged. “I know it is so insulting.”

Derek looked at him, Derek was very confused.

“I’m a gay man,” Stiles said. “I’m out, it’s commonly known. They know that I went to college with you, but nobody has even given a hint that I may be your college boyfriend. It’s really insulting.”

Derek just looked at him.

“Are you sulking?” Derek asked.

“I mean they could at least bring up the fact that you might have wanted to sleep with me at some point,” Stiles whined. “I’m not hideous. They look at me and think this guy could never get into Derek’s pants.”

Derek just stared at him for a minute.

“Stiles,” Derek said slowly. “I slept with you. Often. You know that. Our friends know that. I found it enjoyable.”

Stiles huffed. 

“Do you want me to go out there and tell them that?” Derek asked.

Stiles thought seriously for a moment before answering.

“No,” Stiles said resigned. “That would break Laura and Lydia’s agreement. Going up against them isn’t worth it.”

**

“Stiles,” Derek bellowed looking up from the paper he was reading on his iPad.

Lydia, who was sitting in front of him, blinked.

Stiles popped his head in the door.

“Yes Senator,” Stiles said, popping his head in the room.

“Why is the New York Times saying that I’m going on Tinder?” Derek growled.

“I was misquoted,” Stiles said. “I said it’s not like you are going on Tinder.”

“Stop helping,” Derek said. “I can find my own dates. I don’t need the gossipy stuff.”

Stiles let out a bark of laughter. 

“Seriously,” Derek said. “I’m trying to work on homelessness and the budget. Can you try to make me sound slightly more serious?”

“You are too serious,” Stiles said. “We want you to be more light hearted.”

“Not your job,” Derek growled. 

“Laura thought it was hilarious,” Stiles replied. 

“Laura is trying to set me up on dates with Republicans, she has no taste in these things,” Derek rolled his eyes.

Stiles eyebrows went down in disapproval. “You can do better.”

“I’m trying to help run the country, Stiles,” Derek said testily. “I’m not actively trolling for dates.”

Stiles crossed his arms. “You just have gone through a long process to be able to date whoever you want to. When are you going to get around to wanting to?”

Derek looked up, his mouth slightly open.

Lydia cleared her throat. “Senator, thank you for your time. I think you do not need the services of my colleague and me for the rest of the day.”

“Thank you, Ms. Martin,” Derek said in a professional voice. In a lower muttered he said. “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, Stiles.”

Lydia grabbed Stiles by the arm and dragged him out of the room. She didn’t let go of him until they were in the stairwell.

“Get over your personal drama,” she hissed.

Stiles grinned. “This has all been my personal drama.”

“No,” Lydia said. “This is the client’s personal drama.”

Stiles tilted his head in defiance.

Lydia glared at him. “Talk to him, Stiles.”

“He can talk to me,” Stiles said.

Lydia just looked at him. “Are you waiting for him to?”

“Yes,” Stiles said with a fake smile. “I’ve been waiting for nine years.”

“He just put himself out there really far,” Lydia hissed. “Take the bait and stop making my job and my life harder.”

Stiles pouted. “I’ll think about it.” 

**THEN TO NOW**

On his first day at Quantico Stiles realized for the first time that he was alone. He hadn’t been in a room full of strangers since his first day in kindergarten. He felt so lonely. He loved the work, but he felt a big hole. There had been something that had filled up his life for the last three years. 

He didn’t call Derek.

Derek started Harvard and had his nose in his books. He had a neat apartment and the people in his class seemed nice enough. It wasn’t his home. They weren’t his family. His heart was somewhere else. He threw himself into his classes.

He didn’t call Stiles.

Stiles was at Quantico for six months and he finally felt as if he could come up for air. He was going to into the field office and learn his craft. They had put him on the track to become a profiler. He had everything he use to want. The thing he currently wanted seemed too far away.

He didn’t call Derek.

Derek finished his first year at the very top of his class. He’d never been a scholar, but he was doing nothing else besides studying. We went with Isaac to Asia over the summer. He absolutely refused to go anywhere near Europe. There was a big hole in his conversations with Isaac. They never talked about college or Stiles.

He didn’t call Stiles.

Stiles moved to the home office in Springfield, IL. There was hope that the temptation would be lessened with the distance. It wasn’t. He still had a phone. He still knew where Derek was. Derek didn’t ask him to give up Quantico. He wouldn’t ask Derek to give up Harvard.

He didn’t call Derek.

Derek met Paige Montgomery the spring semester of his second year. They were in a study group together. When the group ended she asked him to grab coffee. He smiled and said no. He went home and if he sobbed a little that was his own business.

He didn’t call Stiles.

Stiles was transferred to Mobile, Alabama because they had a serial bomber. Stiles was more and more in demand. He looked forward to a nomadic lifestyle. Lydia called him every other day. There were calls from California on a weekly basis. Even Isaac popped in and kidnapped him to show him a proper strip club in New Orleans. 

He didn’t call Derek.

Derek tried dating someone for the first time in his third year of law school. It went horribly. He went out with a guy a few weeks later. He came home and stared at the ceiling for the whole night. He decided that he wasn’t going to date. All he could think about was Stiles. He could taste Stiles. He decided dating wasn’t his thing.

He didn’t call Stiles.

Stiles moved to Albuquerque. He had never even attempted to date. He had met a few guys and had a couple of nights, but it was more repetitive motion. There was no more magic in sex for him so he just gave it up. It wasn’t his thing.

He didn’t call Derek.

Derek got a job working for the Los Angeles District Attorney as did Paige Montgomery. Erica flew down a couple of times. “You look sad.” She said. He didn’t respond and took her out for a fabulous dinner. When she left he stared at his phone for a long time. He convinced himself it had been too long. He called Paige.

He didn’t call Stiles.

Stiles was shot in Birmingham. He refused to call his friends or family. He wanted Derek like he wanted to breathe without pain. He just lay in the bed. He wasn’t going to let this job get the better of him. He wasn’t going to tell people he was in danger at times. He was afraid that Derek wouldn’t come.

He didn’t call Derek.

Derek got married. The night before his wedding every fiber of his being wanted to call Stiles. He loved Paige, but Stiles was buried in his soul. He closed his eyes and imagined tomorrow he was going to see Stiles at the end of the aisle. It had been too long and he had made other choices.

He didn’t call Stiles.

Stiles was brought into the Washington DC office. Lydia had started her own PR firm that specialized in ‘emergency situations.’ She was thrilled to have him back in the area and started to wear Stiles down to come work for her. Stiles signed a lease that he knew he would probably renew. He was settling down. 

He didn’t call Derek.

Paige died in Derek’s arms. Derek sobbed. The world that he had tried to construct after college shattered.

He didn’t couldn’t call Stiles. He wanted to, but the timing was horrific.

Stiles found out that Paige had been shot. He felt his heart break for Derek and his loss.

He didn’t couldn’t call Derek. He wanted to, but the timing was horrific.

They both hit rock bottom of desperation to call, but now it was too late. It was too complicated. Still, their restraint was hair thin.

Derek went to the Senate. Much like in law school he threw himself into everything that he did. His family was so proud. He really just wanted to hear Stiles make fun of him.

He didn’t call Stiles.

Stiles left the FBI. There was something missing, something more that he wanted to be doing. At least at Lydia’s side he could have fun. He just wanted to laugh about DC with Derek.

He didn’t call Derek.

They never called, but they had never stopped wanting to.

**NOW**

Stiles was on Derek’s steps again.

Derek came home and got out of his car. He just looked at Stiles and walked up the stairs and motioned for Stiles to come into the house.

“Why didn’t you ever call?” Derek’s voice was low but very loud in the empty house. He didn’t look at Stiles.

Stiles stood in the doorway, not really wanting to answer that question. 

“I was always the one to make the first move,” he said, looking for the words of something he couldn’t explain. “I was always the one putting myself out there. We had talked about moving on once we were out of college. You had Harvard. I convinced myself that I was just throwing myself at you.”

Derek’s eyes blazed into him, but Stiles didn’t back down and continued speaking defensively. “Also, you could have called me.”

Derek turned put his arms out to the sides. “I wasn’t going to be the guy who calls someone who is doing his dream job to be a burden. I wanted to be with you and I didn’t know how to call you and ask for it. By the time I figured that out I was widowed and in Congress.”

Derek flinched at his words but went on. “So I had to do something a little bigger.”

Stiles stared at him. He had wanted it to be true. He had wanted the craziest thing he could think of to be true.

“Are you telling me this Vanity Fair article is just a way to ask me out?” Stiles with more hope than he had ever remembered feeling.

“I figured that a phone call wouldn’t work after nine years,” Derek muttered, looking down at the ground.

Stiles let out a dry laugh and crossed the room. He kissed Derek with nine years of pent up feeling. His hands were in Derek’s hair, his body was trying to take up the same space as Derek, his lips were eating Derek alive.

This is what they had both needed for so long. This is where they wanted to be.

“You idiot,” Stiles said breathlessly as he pulled away. “A phone call would have always worked.”

**

“I’m probably not going to break up with you,” Derek warned lightly. “My breakups have all been moving to the other coast, fires, and death.”

Stiles burrowed into Derek’s very comfortable bed. He was happy. He was absolutely and delightfully happy. Also very sweaty, but that didn’t matter at all because he was back in Derek’s bed.

“I’d also like to be very very clear to everyone that we are in a relationship,” Derek said. “Because if I have to try to convince Lydia again on my own the psychological scarring might be permanent.”

Stiles smiled and turned towards him. “This is still overwhelming. Maybe even more now.”

Derek went up on his arm. “I don’t think that its ever not going to be. I’m just ready to deal with that. We’re adults now. If you’re next to me I can deal with the fact that going to float off the earth every time I look at you.”

Stiles kissed him again, he kissed him like he was drowning and this was going save his life.

“You can’t say things like that,” Stiles said against his lips. “It makes me forget words.”

“Then I’m going to say things like that forever,” Derek promised.

**

Things calmed down for Derek and Lydia and Stiles ended their business relationship with him, as their job was done. Derek and Stiles moved in together. The three of them had dinner once a week.

Melinda at Vanity Fair got a call about nine months later.

“Melinda, this is Lydia Martin,” Lydia said on the phone. “Do you want to do another story for me?”

“Yes,” Melinda said immediately. “Can I give my editor a heads up of what this is about?”

Lydia paused for a second and then said in a breezy voice. “It’s the college boyfriend.”

“Derek Hale’s college boyfriend?” Melinda asked, just to be clear.

“College Boyfriend and Senator Hale,” Lydia said. “They’d like to stop the speculation and their friends in California would like to be left alone.”

Melinda bit her lip. “Are they, did they…”

“Yes,” Lydia’s voice held a lot of pride and happiness, but she continued in her typical no-nonsense tone. “I just want you to know if you don’t make this the most epic romantic story in the known and unknown universe it will never see the light of day.”

“That seems unusual coming from you,” Melinda said before she thought about what she was going to say, she was a little giddy about this prospect.

“Because I could care less about any other relationship in this world,” Lydia said briskly. “This is the most important relationship to me and you will do it justice.”

“Understood,” Melinda said. “I will do it justice.”

“You better,” Lydia said.

**

Congress went out of session. Derek didn’t want to be around when the story hit so he went home. Stiles found a reason that he needed to go see his father. Lydia followed just because.

“It would be good to have me there when everything hits,” Lydia told them.

Stiles wrapped an arm around her. “Whatever you need to tell yourself. Isaac just said he wasn’t going to have everyone there without him so they could talk shit about him.”

For the first time in nine years they were all together again.

They sat in the backyard while the grill warmed up.

“When did you get a guest house in the back yard?” Stiles asked looking at the newish guest house in the back yard.

Derek looked uncomfortable.

Isaac and Erica started cracking up.

“It’s the guest house Talia built,” Isaac said. “For herself when she comes to visit.”

“I thought she owned the house? Why does she need a guest house?” Stiles asked.

Derek was very interested in his beer bottle. Erica was nearly falling out of her chair.

“Derek owns the house,” Isaac almost giggled.

“I don’t understand why this is so funny,” Stiles said looking at Derek, who was sulking.

“Because it’s the Dowry House!” Erica said with glee.

Stiles turned towards Derek. “I think you need to explain the Dowry House.”

Derek let out a long sigh. “My parents decided years ago that when each of the kids got married, they were going to give us one of the houses. When Paige and I got married they gave us the Beacon Hills house.”

Stiles looked a little disturbed. “They gave you the house that your ex-girlfriend tried to burn down?”

“I asked for it,” Derek said.

“That is even a little more fucked up,” Stiles said. “More if you add your lusty feelings for me.”

“My people are here,” Derek said. “Erica and Boyd live here and Isaac practically lives in their guest room. Scott and Kira live here. Even Lydia hasn’t sold her parent’s place.”

“Awwww,” Erica said. “He loves us.”

“And he hasn’t finished the story,” Isaac said with barely contained mirth.

“It’s a stipulation that whenever I marry the house is half whoever I marry. It automatically becomes my partner’s house too,” Derek said.

“The Dowry House,” Erica said clapping.

Stiles looked at the house. “So you’re telling me that one day I’m going to own the biggest house in Beacon Hills?”

“And the surrounding property,” Derek mumbled.

The laugher had died and everyone was looking at them.

“What?” Stiles said to their agape faces. “Lydia, are those tears?”

“No,” Lydia said. “Shut up.”

Stiles was confused.

“They’re probably referring to the fact that you just said that we were going to get married like it wasn’t a big deal,” Derek said with a little smile.

“And you just were fine with it, Derek,” Scott added.

“Well, we haven’t talked about it,” Stiles defended. “But what do you think is going to happen?”

Everybody just watched them, like this moment was going to disappear or as if Stiles or Derek were suddenly going to change their minds. Derek was looking at Stiles like Derek had just gotten everything in the entire world.

“Oh my god, look at the look on Derek’s face,” Isaac said. “I’m going to start grilling.”

“I mean we know it’s real,” Kira said slowly. “But it’s going to take us a second to process that you guys are making it really real. I mean, we’ve dealt with this for a very very long time.”

“Dibs on best man!” Scott said more to Lydia than Stiles.

“Oh dear god,” Derek said. “I’m helping Isaac.”

Stiles caught his hand as he stood up.

“We are right?” Stiles asked, entwining their fingers. “Getting married.”

Derek leaned down and kissed his forehead. “Eventually all this will be yours.”

Lydia’s grin could probably be seen from space.

**

Three days later Vanity Fair hit the newsstands and this time Derek and Stiles made the cover under the headline ‘The College Boyfriend.’


End file.
